Cree Light Bulbs how to deal with the end of Daylight Savings

Daylight savings time is ending, which means we’ll be experiencing more hours of darkness. I’m a lover of daylight, I’m happier when the sun is shining. I was offered Cree light bulbs recently, and I was so excited! I gladly welcome anything that will help me deal with the longer hours of darkness.  Y’all know I’m a regular shopper at The Home Depot, and they carry the Cree brand. Therefore, many of my bulbs were already from Cree. BUT! Not all of them. I still had some of those twisty  bulbs as well as some really old school incandescent light bulbs. I’m sure you have a random amount of odds and ends bulbs in your home too.

Today, we have an overwhelming number of bulb options. When I received the list from Cree, I can definitely say I was overwhelmed. The light bulbs of today will be in our homes for not just years, but decades, therefore  “better” is worth it. Cree has launched new generation LED bulbs as part of the new display in your local Home Depot Stores.

Make the best use of your outdoor lighting

I have a few key areas where I needed a lot of help with lighting. We’ll start with outdoor lighting. With the purchase of a new camper, a well-lit lawn and driveway is very important to me. In order to supply the camper with a power source, I had to disconnect my energy sucking garage light. The fixture drew too much electricity and caused some surge problems.

To make up the difference of the missing light fixture, I have been lighting my park like lamp post. It’s been here for so long, but I rarely used it because I felt like it too was drawing a lot of electricity. Some bulbs were blown, others were mismatched, and the plastic globes are very difficult to remove to change out the bulbs.(see top two photos).  Now that I have exchanged all the bulbs with the new Cree bulbs that have a  10 Year, 100% Satisfaction Guarantee I may never have to change out the bulbs again.   I put 75W A19 soft white in this outdoor lamp post.

Cree is building on its foundation as the leader in high brightness LED bulbs. These high brightness bulbs are perfect for anyone who has high ceilings or simply wants the most light for every day tasks—including lighting up a dark yard. I feel safer knowing that my home is so well lit each and every night. My little Lulu Mae appreciates the extra light as well, she’s a tad scared of the dark. She gets a little jumpy after dark.

Selecting the right light makes life better

Another area that I have trouble lighting is my kitchen. I’ve often told you how dark it is with only one small window that lets virtually no natural light in. I’m not known for doing a lot of cooking at my kitchen island/craft station. When I built the island, I purposely made it tall enough so I would be comfortable doing my projects. I make a lot of signs, using stencils and transfers.

Poor lighting has plagued me for years, but I never knew that there were specific light bulbs that would make such a difference in how well I can see what I’m working on. Honestly? I don’t like having my picture taken, but the Cree light bulbs make whites appear whiter while skin tone appears more natural giving you the right amount of light to illuminate all the areas in your home.

The photo on the right is after I installed my new light bulbs in the ceiling fan. The difference is difficult to spot in pictures, but oh so obvious in real life. As I’ve gotten older, it’s so much easier to read and craft when the lighting is good.  I definitely appreciate the difference I get with the new Cree light bulbs.

The pictures don’t do the space justice, the new light bulbs really brighten up the room and the colors!

Good lighting makes fun with friends even that much better! My friends and I love playing games on the weekends, and the lighting in my kitchen is so much better to see the cards. Of course not even good lighting can improve my game average.

Better lighting for a dark corner

Lastly, let’s talk about my living room. There are three sources of light. I have a floor lamp that has been around since I started blogging. Painting the lamp was one of my first project tutorials on the blog. The lamp takes a three-way bulb. I prefer to have a small amount of light on in the evening while I watch t.v. and work on the computer. The three way bulb is perfect for that.

Occasionally I work on larger projects in the living room when the weather is too hot or too cold outdoors. The light source for that would be the dreaded ceiling fan. Yes, I still have three ceiling fans, a necessary evil here in the Ohio valley.  I often take blog photos in the living room too, so replacing the bulbs overhead in the ceiling fan has already been very helpful.

You can see that I actually still had incandescent light bulbs in the ceiling fan. The new bulbs even LOOK better in the light fixture. (old bulb on the left, new Cree bulb on the right) Here’s something to consider, the Cree LED light bulbs stay cool to the touch. That’s a win/win for sure. Not only can you easily switch them out, but they don’t add any heat to your room!

Lighting options for home and family

Mood lighting? We all need some of that for ambiance, right? When my daughter Jamie visits, she loves to turn on the light fixtures on the fireplace. Those lights are dimmable, making the Cree bulbs perfect to create the desired amount of light needed. I love using these lights when my pup Lulu Mae is home alone at night.

Silly me, I removed the twisty lights and forgot to move them. Can you spot them?

See how perfect the lights on the fireplace are while they are dimmed?

My mantel decor is simple, a tiny camper made for me by a friend, a hand painted ornament of Lulu Mae, a reclaimed wooden sign of Kentucky made by a blog reader and friend.

Two gifts from my daughter Jamie and her husband Andy, Scrabble tiles with my blog letters, and a small canvas artwork that reads “There are always flowers for those who wish to see them”.  I spend 90% of my time in the living room, so the lighting is very important to me—it has to be perfect!

Here is the full look with the updated ceiling fan and mantel lights – what a difference matching bulbs make!

One last thought about the living room—I don’t need any light overnight in the living room. The outdoor lamp post is bright enough to illuminate the entire living room should I need to find anything after going to bed. Cree LED bulbs really do make daily life easier around here.

Cree light bulbs available at The Home Depot

I still have a few more areas that will be getting new light bulbs from Cree and The Home Depot. There is a very vintage light fixture in my hallway. I shared it when I blogged about adding craftsman style molding in the hall. Giving the light fixture a good cleaning and adding a new light bulb will make a huge difference I’m sure. The same goes for my regular porch light. Even a new Cree light bulb can only do so much in a dirty light fixture.    I’ll probably be putting 60w A19 soft white in that vintage fixture.

You can see from these snapshots I took at my local The Home Depot that Cree light bulbs will not break the bank! It might not be something that jumps out at you, but two things that really sold me on these bulbs are this. . .  The packaging! Oh my gosh, these light bulbs are so easy to get out of the package, and—the LED light bulbs are shatter proof!

There is a light bulb for all your needs, including soft white and daylight options.

If you need the big guns, check out CREE 100w A21 LED Soft white and Daylight light bulbs.

One last bit of information for my friends who live in California:

Cree LED bulbs meet or exceed California – Title 20 requirements. Not all of Cree’s competitors meet these standards and thus have much fewer product offerings in California specifically. Title 20 is unique legislation in California that requires any product that is on a shelf at The Home Depot (or any retailer) to meet a higher level of quality. They score bulbs based on things like how efficient they are, how many lumens per watt, the CRI, etc. You must meet a certain score for your product to even be on the shelf.

How do you deal with the end of daylight savings time?

I recommend you stop by The Home Depot and pick up some new Cree light bulbs! Their bulbs deliver high CRI light which makes colors appear more vibrant, rich, and natural. Cree continues to be the leader in high brightness LEDs, so you can illuminate any space (even with high ceilings). Did I mention they’re built to last? I may never have to change a light bulb again!

gail

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cree. The opinions and text are all mine.